The invention relates to an apparatus for the inspection of combined read/write heads of data carrier disks in EDP installations.
Data carrier disks are conventionally used for data storage purposes in large EDP installations. Data can be transferred to such disks or pulled therefrom by means of read/write heads. For this purpose, the read/write heads are placed at a limited distance above the data carrier disks. Thus, in one arrangement which is conventionally used by Control Data Corp. (CDC), they are placed at the ends of brackets which pass above and below a horizontally positioned data carrier disk and can be moved in the direction of the centre of the disk. For surface protection purposes, the read/write heads have ceramic coatings and dust particles or other contaminants can easily collect thereon. This is particularly to be feared when replacing data carrier disks and can lead to the destruction of the disk. Thus, at least in connection with all exchangeable disk stacks in EDP installations, it is necessary to check read/write heads prior to introduction of a new exchangeable disk stack and also continuously during operation for dirt and dust deposits and to remove the latter. This has hitherto only been possible through the disassembly of the read/write heads, which constitutes a relatively complicated and time-consuming operation, which leads to an undesirably long disconnection of the EDP installation.